Currently, Advent wreaths can be found mainly in churches, when we are preparing for Christmas during the Advent period. Where did the tradition of Christmas wreaths come from? What is this tradition like in different countries? And above all – what do such wreaths symbolize? About this in the following article!
First Advent wreath
Looking for information about Advent wreaths, we can find many different versions about where and when this kind of decoration first appeared. One of the stories is that the first Advent wreath was made by pastor Wichern. This pastor lived in Hamburg and decided to do something that would make the waiting time for the birth of Christ more pleasant. The wreath he created was very different from the wreaths we can now find in the church. This wreath was a square the size of a wheel from a car. Four large candles were placed in this square, symbolizing the four Advent Sundays, as well as an appropriate number of smaller candles, which corresponded to the remaining days of Advent (including Christmas Eve). This meant that, depending on the year, in the wreath made by the pastor, there were a total of twenty-four candles in the world (a view rather unheard of today – around 1860, twenty-four candles were given up, leaving four large ones, symbolizing the following Sundays of Advent).
As far as the symbolism of the wreath itself is concerned, we have to go back to ancient times in search of explanation. Already then, the wreath, usually made of vegetable leaves, was a symbol of victory. The idea behind the pastor creating his wreath was very simple. The idea was to encourage reflection on the victory of Christ, who, although helpless at birth, had the task of redeeming humanity. Burning candles, giving light, were to become a symbol of rejection of evil, darkness and sin. The creation of a wreath was also a practical application. The pastor took care of the orphanage he founded. And during Advent services (which, after all, take place in winter, when darkness quickly falls), he wanted to give his charges some heat and light.
Although the idea of an Advent wreath was born in the Evangelical Church (in Northern Germany), it quickly gained many supporters and went beyond the walls of this particular Christian faction. In the Catholic branch, the first wreath appeared in Cologne in 1925. In neighboring Austria, the custom of making Advent wreaths appeared only twenty years later, in 1945. Nowadays, according to the custom, the Advent wreath is consecrated during the evening service, celebrated on the Saturday that precedes the first Sunday of Advent. In Austria and Bavaria, three purple and one pink candles are traditionally placed in the wreaths. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent. This Sunday is called “Gaudete,” which means “Rejoice!”. This joy is to be associated with the rapid birth of Christ, who comes into the world to save humanity.
Home wreaths, past and present
In evangelical families, the sight of an Advent wreath in the house does not surprise anyone. Catholics decide to prepare the wreath themselves much less often, although nowadays, this custom is also becoming popular among Catholic families.
The inhabitants of those regions made wreaths with their own hands, using live conifer twigs and red ribbons. The wreath was always made on the first Sunday of Advent. After decorating it with ribbons, a candle was placed on it and then the wreath was hung from the ceiling. Each subsequent Sunday of Advent, another candle was placed on the wreath. It also happened that the wreaths were decorated with ribbons in different colours. It is worth remembering, however, that red ribbons were among the most popular wreaths and considered to be the most elegant and appropriate.
Nowadays, when making Advent wreaths, the base is usually a wire circle with a diameter of 20-40 cm. It is then braided with live conifer twigs (usually mistletoe or spruce). The next step in making the wreath is to place four candles on it. In Catholic churches, these candles are usually chosen according to the colour of the liturgical robes used during Sunday Advent services. This means that in such a wreath, there are three purple candles and one pink or red. The red or pink candle is to symbolise the joy that accompanies Catholics while waiting for the birth of the Son of God.
If the wreath is in the house, it is usually placed in a central, clearly visible place or hung from the ceiling with coloured ribbons. Every week, every Sunday of Advent, one more candle is lit (usually candles are lit during family meals or family Sunday meetings). On Christmas Eve, during a gala dinner, all four candles are also lit and then they burn most of the evening.
Symbolism – what does an Advent wreath mean?
As with other traditions, there is a certain symbolism associated with the Advent wreath tradition. This (sometimes completely inconspicuous and modest, and sometimes extremely rich) element appearing in churches during Advent has relatively rich and interesting symbolism. Individual candles placed in the wreath have separate symbolism. So what does each candle mean?
The first of candle, lit at the beginning of Advent, is to symbolise the fact that God forgave the disobedience to Adam and Eve (the breaking off and eating of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil while they were still in Paradise), which they did in spite of the fact that they had only one, the only prohibition. However, God decided to forgive them and still give them hope and the possibility of eternal life in heaven.
The second candle (lit on the second Sunday of Advent) is a symbol of the faith and gratitude that the patriarchs of the Elected Nation had for God’s assurance that they would receive the Promised Land, becoming its lords. The prophets and leaders of the people of Israel had the task of bringing God’s people to Canaan, looking after them and making sure that they would not lose confidence and faith in God.
The joy of King David, who made a covenant with God, is to be a symbol of the third candle (pink or red, which is lit on the penultimate Sunday of Advent). The King celebrated the Covenant according to which Messiah, the son of God, was to come from his family. In practice, this means that Jesus comes from the House of David (sometimes even called the son of David).
The fourth, last candle is lit on the last Sunday of Advent. The symbol of this candle is the teaching of the prophets who proclaimed the rapid coming of Christ into the world. It should be remembered that various prophets mentioned the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, who will be born in Bethlehem, and his goal will be the redemption of humanity.
At this point it is worth mentioning that every Sunday of Advent, more and more candles are burning. The first will be lit one, the next two, the next three, and the last four candles. Also on Christmas Eve, during the celebration, all four candles will be lit, reminding us that Advent has come to an end and the time of joy has come for the coming of the Messiah to be born. The light from the burning candles symbolises the hope that humanity can be redeemed. The green elements of the wreath (usually living conifer twigs, for example, spruce or mistletoe twigs; in some cases, mistletoe branches can also be found in the wreaths) symbolise the strength of ongoing life. The shape of the Advent wreath itself is also important. It is not without reason that it is round. Its shape is supposed to symbolise eternity and infinity, both of God and His Son. None of them has a beginning or an end (although Jesus became man, he is also God). Life after death is also eternal.
The wreath itself, on the other hand, is a symbol that has to do with the People of God. As an ornament and an important element of Advent services, it is supposed to symbolise expectation, love, devotion and hope, accompanying people waiting for the coming of the Son of God. Moreover, the wreath is a symbol of victory (and was already in ancient times, for example in the case of wreaths given to Olympic winners), as well as a symbol of royal dignity.
What other meanings are hidden in the symbolism of the Advent wreath?
The interpretations that relate to the symbolism of the individual elements of the Advent wreath are extremely varied. In addition to the meanings described above, there is also the possibility of encountering slightly different symbolism concerning the Advent wreath.
The green twigs, which are supposed to symbolise life, are also a symbol of community. Entwined together, living twigs, perfectly show that by acting together and staying together, you can achieve good results.The four candles can be one symbol, a symbol of approaching Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save us. The whole wreath is a symbol of hope that light will prevail over darkness and good over evil. Additionally, the Advent wreath symbolises the faithful united in prayer.
If the ribbons are placed in the wreath, it is worth paying attention to their colour. Red and purple ribbons have a special meaning. Their colours symbolise the joy of waiting for the coming of the Saviour. At the same time, they are a reminder of the need for inner purification, thanks to which we will be worthy to meet the newborn Christ. The element of such purification should be, above all, to do an examination of our conscience and to reflect on what our morals have been like so far and how we can improve ourselves. Interestingly, Protestant families usually prepare two Advent wreaths. The first one hangs on the front door, on the outside, so that everyone who passes by the house will know that its inhabitants are waiting for Christ to be born. The second wreath is placed in the room where the whole family most often stays. So together with the household members, we remember that Advent is an exceptional waiting time, during which we should become better and better people.
Wreaths in pagan times
Like many of the traditions we know today, the tradition of using the wreath is also from pagan times. Apart from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, where wreaths were a symbol of victory, there are also traditions associated with this element in Germanic culture.
Germanic tribes used to create “wreaths” at the end of the long winter months. These wreaths were not similar to those we recognize today. When the earth was still ice-bound and there was a severe frost outside, the Germanic tribes were looking for evergreen plants, from which they would then lay out circles of large size on the ground. These circles were supposed to symbolise the sun, which was relatively little during the winter (due to the short day and the fact that the winter was often cloudy). Then, inside such green circles, fires were lit. The whole thing was a ritual, which was to symbolise the hope for a quick coming of spring and for the rebirth of life and awakening of nature. Both in the animal world and in the plant world.
How “should” an Advent wreath look like?
Nowadays we have a lot of freedom as to the appearance of Advent wreaths. There are wreaths made entirely of artificial elements, wreaths very simple and modest, wreaths extremely rich, elegant wreaths, as well as those that have been created with fantasy and have all the colours, making small (or slightly larger) works of art. However, if we want to have a wreath, whose appearance will be in line with tradition, it is worth knowing which wreaths we should look for. First of all, a traditional wreath must be made using twigs from noble conifers (evergreen conifers), such as mistletoe, spruce or Douglas fir. In addition, the twigs should be intertwined so that they form a circle. Traditional wreaths often also include laurel or holly twigs. What is interesting – a popular addition, used during wreath-weaving, is also… moss.
Of course, the wreath cannot be short of candles. Four, medium size necessarily. The most popular are either white candles or candles matching the colour of the liturgical robes worn by priests during Sunday Advent services (in the latter case three purple candles and one pink or red candle should be placed in the wreath.) The decorative elements depend on the region in which the wreath is made. Traditional decorations include coloured ribbons (especially red and violet, but you can also find ribbons and tapes in other colours), cones (natural or painted, for example, with coloured paint or glitter spray), small red baubles, and dried fruit (especially citrus slices, which can be additionally seasoned with cloves). As far as the wreaths in the church are concerned, their decorative elements in the form of ribbons may vary in colour depending on the Sunday of Advent. And so, on the first Sunday the ribbons will be red, on the second Sunday yellow, on the third Sunday silver, and on the fourth, last Sunday the ribbons should be golden.
Advent wreaths in our homes
Although the custom of having an Advent wreath at home is not very popular in our country, it is becoming more and more popular every year. More and more families are also choosing to cultivate the Advent wreath tradition. If we want to have an Advent wreath at home, we can buy a ready-made product that will be in line with our aesthetic tastes. However, if we have some time, we can try to make the wreath ourselves. To prepare it you will need a wire circle, coniferous twigs, four candles, glue, ribbons and elements with which you can decorate your wreath. If we don’t have time, desire or manual skills, we can order a wreath online or go to the right store to buy a product that interests us.
It is also worth mentioning that in addition to the Advent wreath, there is also an Advent trunk. It is either a trunk cut off or a disc cut off from it. In both cases it is decorated in a similar way to Advent wreaths, using live twigs, baubles, ribbons and cones. Of course, there must be no lack of candles on such a trunk. In the case of trunks, however, it is necessary to have some space which will allow us to keep such decorations in our house. If we decide on a smaller version and use a wheel cut off from the trunk, for such a wreath, we should find a place, even in a small apartment.